Rating: NNNN
Six months ago, it seemed like rapping next to Lil Wayne was destined to be Curren$y Da Hot Spitta’s career peak. But then the Wayne protégé stopped being a protégé and released an improbable four straight ice cold mixtapes over four straight months. Super Tecmo Bowl, the best and more recent Internet-only tape, shows the New Orleans rapper in top form.
With a flow so smoooth that smooth should be spelled with three O’s, Curren$y nods more toward glossy opulence than the often rough gangstaism of his New Orleans peers. In fact, regionalism takes a backseat to jet-setting internationalism, with sounds of planes taking off and his ubiquitous Fly Society crew shout-outs. Much of the tape is about Curren$y flying to other cities to shop – in one case describing exclusive Tokyo-bought shirt over Black Rob’s Whoa.
But unlike repetitive Pharrell or Puff Daddy money interests, Curren$y’s currency is humour (his shoe closet is full of oxygen, because he rocks a lot of Air). Those punchlines with solid (and occasionally great) beat work make Super Tecmo Bowl worth every second it takes to download. Speaking of which, get it for free here.
